Chat

• TugasKamagong: got the name the wrong way round. His name is Ni Hua but in chinese the surname always comes first so his surname is Ni and not Hua
• fischer94: Go Ni!
• fischer94: Go Hua!!
• TugasKamagong: ruy lopez?
• TugasKamagong: a Marshall!!!
• gambitmate: fun :)
• JohnColtrane: This will be a nice game, I think
• Gurgeh: this will be a quick draw, I think
• Rheinpfeil: this will be blood - 0 -1 i think
• miketwyble: The Marshall just seems to be a forced draw at this level if you look at the games of Aronian etc.
• TugasKamagong: Ni's looking hard for a win
• greenknight: ni hua will want to show what he can do with white after having to suffer in thte last two games
• grouiklord: strange, but i have the impression that there are less people watching that game than howell's
• grouiklord: (don't remember the name of howell's opponent)
• pkaragianis: I am constantly amazed how they can find new ideas in this VERY tried and tested opening.
• ChessBomb: Public chat is closed for technical reasons. We are terribly sorry for the incovenience and will have a fix for tomorrow. In the meantime, the expert commentary will continue.
• pkaragianis: 15. Qe2 was tried 11 times before, 15. ...Bd7 only once, according to the database.
• pkaragianis: That game was Volotkin - Fressinet, 2007.
• pkaragianis: Which continued 16. Qf1 Qh5, so 16. ...Qf5 appears to be the new move (and one not preferred as much by the chessdom engine, notably).
• pkaragianis: While ...Qh5 has the benefit of allowing the d7 bishop to enter the game, ...Qf5 prevents Bc2 in some cases, as well as Qd3.
• pkaragianis: Now let's have a look at how the new/rare move ...Qf5 compares to Qh5. The queen on f5 is held, so black does not have to answer the move Qf3 directly, and can capture on e3 or try something else to improve his position.
• pkaragianis: On the other side of the coin, with the queen on h5 black could have now played ...Bg4. So, let's see if the choice on move 16 affects the game significantly.
• Chessdom: The photo album with photos from round 3, including this game, is at http://photo.chessdom.com/thumbnails.php?album=230&page=3
• pkaragianis: Well black can no longer play the endgame (which, in a Marshall, you actually can do, even a pawn down, with a pawn on d5). Let's hope those light squares compensate for white's passers and strong pawn chain.